Picker check mechanism



Feb. 21, 1967 A. STUDDARD 3,304,959

PICKER CHECK MECHANISM Filed Feb. 1, 1965 5 IN VEN TOR. 9

JAMES A. STUDDARD Jmii W *Q ATTORNEYS United States l atent 6 This invention relates to picker check mechanisms for looms and is particularly concerned with motion retarding means for the picker which propels the shuttle and which receives the shuttle impact at the end of the shuttle flight across the loom.

In the weaving art, the stress and strain of impact and vibration, as an incident to the propulsion of the shuttle and the impact thereof after its rapid travel through the shed, has long been recognized as an outstanding problem of loom operation. As weaving speeds have been increased, to meet the increasing demands for woven fabrics throughout the years, such problems have increased therewith.

Of primary concern with respect to the normal life of the picker, its stick and associated movement control mechanism, as well as the noise and vibration of the loom operation, is the means of retarding or cushioning the reactive movement of the picker responsive to the violent impact thereagainst of the rapidly moving shuttle as it leaves the shed warp threads of the fabric being woven. Further, since the action of the picker in propelling the shuttle through the shed must be rapid and forceful, problems arise in retarding the movement of the picker stick after the picker has imparted the requisite movement to the shuttle. Picker checks, or retarding means, for the terminal movements of the picker in both directions have long been a subject for developments and improvements in this art.

Innumerable patents have been granted on ways of and means for ameliorating the shock impact of the shuttle against the picker and the noise and vibration accompanying such impact. For the most part, developments in this field have been directed toward means to receive and absorb impact shock rather than toward means for gradually retarding the responsive movement of the picker in such a manner as to decrease the shuttle velocity before complete termination of its movement. Further, the prior art has not fully developed adequate means for cushioning the terminal inward movement of the picker after it has imparted the desired flight to the shuttle. As a consequence, the noise and vibration of loom operation continues to be a source of great concern to the loom builder and operator and the operative life of the picker stick and associated mechanism is of responsively short duration.

It is among the objects of the present invention to provide new and improved means for yieldably retarding the outward movement of the picker response to shuttle impact in such manner as to more gradually decrease the shuttle velocity at the end-of its flight and thus ameliorate the shock of impact of the shuttle against the picker.

Another object of the present invention is to provide new and improved means for yieldable retarding and thereafter terminating inward movement of the picker after it has imparted the requisite flight to the shuttle for its traversal over the lay beam.

As an incident to both of the above objectives, the invention provides means for progressively cushioning the terminal movements of the picker stick of a loom,

which mounts the picker, both with respect to the move- I ment imparted by shuttle impact at the end of its flight through the shed and picker stick movement at the end of the thrusting movement of the picker to impart shuttle flight.

These and numerous other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from 3,304,959 Patented Feb. 21, 1967 the consideration of the following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a view illustrating a pair of pickers in opposite terminal positions in combination with the check mechanisms of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged detail view of one of the combined check mechanisms of the present invention as applied to the lay beam of a loom showing the picker and picker stick in an intermediate position;

FIG. 3 is an end elevation showing picker and stick in extreme outer position;

FIG. 4 is a vertical section taken on the lines 44 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is a horizontal section taken on the lines 55 of FIG. 2.

In the drawings, the picker is indicated generally by numeral 10. As in conventional practice, the picker is mounted on, or formed integrally with, the upper ends of its picker stick 11 which extend through an appropriate slot 12 adjacent the end of the loom lay beam 14. Above the lay beam 14 (here shown as broken away) shuttle boxes 15 are mounted at its opposite ends which house the pickers and receive the shuttles. In the position of pickers 10 and sticks 11 of FIG. 1, the right-hand picker and stick are in their innermost position after propelling the shuttle toward the left. At the left in FIG. 1 the picker 10 and picker stick 11 are in this extreme outward position having received and responded to the shuttle impact. In this left-hand position the picker and picker stick are ready to return the shuttle to the right.

It will, of course, be recognized by those conversant with looms and loom operations that the structure and mode of operation thus far referred to is conventional. Individual loom designers and manufacturers frequently employ specialized equipment, such as pickers, picker sticks, lay beams, shuttle boxes, and the like, the shuttles themselves being generally interchangeable. However, the parts heretofore referred to, or equivalents thereof, together with some form of check mechanism are to be found in conventional looms and the general mode of operation is as outlined above.

For gradually restraining the shuttle movement at the end of its flight across the loom (shown as toward the right in FIG. 2) and thus cushioning its impact effect on the picker 10 as the shuttle terminates its flight through the shed, the present invention provides checks in the form of substantially U-shaped, yieldable metallic spring elements, generally indicated by the numeral 16. The spring elements 16 are characterized by elongate, flat upper base plates 18 adapted to be secured, as by bolts 19, to the underface of the outer terminal ends of the lay beam 14. The base plates 18 extend parallel to the slots 12 and protrude transversely beyond the side of the lay beam. At its inner end, each spring element 16 is formed with a yieldable return bend 20 from which a flat, generally horizontal portion 21 extends outwardly to an abrupt, downwardly-inclined shoulder 22 from which extends more moderately an inclined end portion 24. To the outer free end of end portion 24, there is affixed an upwardly extending, externally threaded spring adjusting bolt 25 encircled by a spring 26 above its adjusting 28. The upper end of the spring 26 bears against the lower face of base plate 18 while the bolt 25 extends through the spring and through a receiving and guiding aperture 29 of base plate 18. Upon the lower face of the shoulder 22 and the inclined end portion 24 there is provided a cushioning and breaking surface member 30 of appropriate friction material, such as leather, secured at its ends to the shoulder and plate by bolts 31.

For cooperation with the breaking surface formed by the member 30, each picker stick 11 is provided with a snubbing bracket 32 comprising an elongate, transversely L-shaped body strapped to the front edge and side of the picker stick below its companion spring element 16. Each bracket 32 is provided at its upper end with a transversely projecting snubbing flange 34 movable with the picker stick in an arcuate path with respect to the surface of the member 30, as each picker receives the impact of the shuttle at the end of its flight across the loom. Each bracket 32 is adjustably secured to its picker stick 11 by a picker stick encircling U-bolt 35 retained by plate 36 and nuts 37 at the inner face of the picker stick. The bight, or return bend 38 of the U-bolt 35 encircles the outer face of the picker stick and secures thereunder a securing Wedge block 39.

For cushioning and terminating the inner movement of the picker stick 11, after the picker 10 has imparted the requisite flight to the shuttle, there is provided a picker stick bumper including a parallel pair of longitudinally L-shaped bodies 40. The bodies 40 are secured in horizontally spaced relation on opposite sides of slots 12 of the lay beam 14 by a bolt or bolts 41. Each body 40 includes an end leg 42 disposed inwardly of the innermost extent of movement of each picker stick and in a plane normal to the underface of the lay beam 14.

The lower end of the each end leg 42 is apertured to receive the inner end 44 of one of a pair of spaced parallel L-shaped cushion strap bars 45. The outer ends 46 of the bars 45 extend upwardly at right angles to be received in apertures of the outer ends of the bodies 40 of the bumper. Inwardly of the upright ends 46 of the strap bars 45 a transverse bumper plate 48 is slidably mounted on the bars 45. Between the plate 48 and the end legs 42, convolutions of a parallel pair of undulated bumper straps 50 of yieldable and resilient cloth, rubber or like heavy shock-absorbent material, are threaded upon the stap bars 45. The bumper thus set forth is constructed and arranged with its slidable plate 48 normally across the path of innermost picker stick travel. The yieldable straps 50 normally urge the plate 48 outwardly toward the picker stick,

In the operation of the check mechanisms of the present invention, after the shuttle has been driven to the left in FIG. 1, by the inward pivotal movement of the right hand picker and picker stick, such inward movement is checked by the engagement of the right-hand picker stick with the bumper plate 48 straddling the inner end of the slot 12 of the lay beam 14. In such checking of the inner movement of the outer end of the picker stick the convolutions of the straps 50 are compressed. On termination of such inward movement, the reflex expanding action of the straps 50 urges the upper end of the picker stick outwardly slightly past the vertical position whereby the stick will continue, as by gravity, a clockwise pivotal movement to the intermediate position as shown in FIG. 2. In such intermediate position as shown in FIG. 2. In such intermediate position the flange 34 of the bracket '32 engages the inner end of the lower face of the surface member 30 adjacent the shoulder 22. Such engagement retains the picker 10 and picker stick in the intermediate position indicated until a return movement of the shuttle produces the outwardly directed impact by the shuttle against the right-hand picker. The traversing movements of the shuttle in responsive movement of the picker and picker stick are of course consecutively repeated at each end of the lay beam.

In the movement of the picker and picker stick from the intermediate rest position of FIG. 2, in which the snubbing bracket flange 34 is lightly engaged by the inner end of the surface member 30, the shuttle impact drives the picker outwardly while the picker stick 11 moves with clockwise pivotal motion. Such motion moves the flange 34 in an arcuate path of travel, as indicated by dashed lines 33 of FIG. 2, with respect to the lower surface of the member 30. Adjacent the shoulder 22 the surface 30 is tangent to such are of travel. However, the total flat lower surface of the member 30 defines a partial chord across and inwardly of the arc of travel 33 of the flange 34. Thus, it will be seen that, as the picker stick 11 pivots outwardly under the influence of the impact of the shuttle, the surface 30 must yield inwardly against the tension of the spring 26. It is to be understood that the innermost portion of the chord with respect to the arc of the movement 33 of the flange 34 corresponds to the outermost position of the picker stick 11. Thus the resistance to movement of flange 34 increases due to compression of spring 26 as the picker stick moves outwardly in its clockwise movement under the influence of the impact of the shuttle.

While the shuttle momentarily pauses in its outermost position as indicated to the left of FlG. 1, it will be understood that mechanism (not shown), of conventional fashion, rapidly moves the picker stick 11 and picker 10 in a clockwise direction to thrust the shuttle inwardly toward the right and through the shed formed by the weft threads of the fabic being woven. Similarly like mechanisms move the right-hand picker 10 and picker stick 11 in a counterclockwise direction for thrusting the shuttles to the left as shown in FIG. 1.

For terminating the inward movement of the picker stick l1 and its picker 10 after the shuttle has been thrust inwardly across the loom, the bumper arrangement, hereinabove referred to, is provided. After the desired momentum has been imparted to the shuttles, the inward movement of picker and picker stick is terminated by contact with the plate 48. Such contact moves the plate 48 inwardly to compress the straps 50 to retard the inner movement by gradually increasing resistance until the picker stick comes to rest in the position shown to the right in FIG. 1. Obviously, such resistance is progressive to provide for a progress restraint until termination of the picker stick motion in the same manner that the spring element 16 progressively checks and restrains the outer movement of the picker sticks.

Thus, it will be seen that the present invention provides progressive retardation and increasing resistance to both inward and outward terminal movements of the picker sticks and pickers. In their outward movements the picker sticks are checked by the increasingly resisted sliding movement of the flange 34 against the surface 30. In their inner movement, the picker sticks are checked by the increasing resistance of the straps 59.

It will be understood that in the practice of the invention numerous changes, modifications, and the full use of equivalence may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as outlined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A loom including a pair of opposed pickers and picker sticks having successive inward and outward movement, a lay beam between the pickers, and a shuttle, wherein the pickers alternately propel the shuttle across the lay beam upon inward movement thereof and receive the impact of the shuttle at the end of its travel over the lay beam, the combination therewith of picker check assemblies disposed on either side of the lay beam and each including an elongate yieldable surface mounted below the lay beam adjacent but laterally of the outer terminal paths of travel of each picker stick, each of said yieldable surfaces being supported at one end by cantilever means and at its other end by spring means, and means on each picker stick to engage said elongate yieldable surface as it approaches its outer movement.

2. Checking apparatus for checking the movement of a picker stick in a rest position after it receives the shuttle of a loom comprising a base plate for attachment to a fixed surface, said base plate merging into a yieldable return bend, a shoulder integrally connected to said return bend, an inclined end portion integrally connected to said shoulder, and spring means biasing said inclined end portion away from said base plate.

3. Checking apparatus for checking the arcuate movement of a picker stick after it receives the shuttle of a loom, said apparatus comprising a checking member pivotally attached at its first end to a fixed surface, spring means extending between the second end of said checking member and said fixed surface whereby said checking member is disposed in the arc of travel of a picker stick and the picker stick in its movement first contacts the checking member at a point intermediate its ends and decelerates as it moves toward the second end of said checking member, against the bias of said spring means.

4. A loom including a picker stick constructed and arranged for oscillatory movement, means projecting from said picker stick and movable through a prescribed arc, a braking surface intersecting said arc, leaf spring means connected to one end of said braking surface for yieldably maintaining said braking surface in said arc and a second spring means connected to said braking surface near its other end for yieldably maintaining said braking surface in said arc.

5. The assembly as set forth in claim 4 in which said leaf spring means includes a return bent flat metal strap having a fiat upper leg secured to the under face of the end of the lay beam and an opposed leg disposed at a downward inclination from the upper leg.

6. The invention of claim 4 wherein the portion of said braking surface adjacent said second spring means penetrates said are to a further extent than the portion thereof adjacent said leaf spring means.

7. A loom including a picker stick constructed and arranged for oscillatory movement, means connected to said picker stick and movable therewith through an arcuate path, a braking surface intersecting said arcuate path, said braking surface including a first surface portion disposed at an angle directed toward said arcuate path and a second surface portion disposed at an angle with said first surface portion and normally penetrating 7 said arcuate path, yieldable pivot means connected to said first surface portion for yieldably pivoting said braking surface toward said arcuate path, and means connected to said second surface portion for yieldably urging said braking surface toward said arcuate path.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner.

J. KEE CHI, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A LOOM INCLUDING A PAIR OF OPPOSED PICKERS AND PICKER STICKS HAVING SUCCESSIVE INWARD AND OUTWARD MOVEMENT, A LAY BEAM BETWEEN THE PICKERS, AND A SHUTTLE, WHEREIN THE PICKERS ALTERNATELY PROPEL THE SHUTTLE ACROSS THE LAY BEAM UPON INWARD MOVEMENT THEREOF AND RECEIVE THE IMPACT OF THE SHUTTLE AT THE END OF ITS TRAVEL OVER THE LAY BEAM, THE COMBINATION THEREWITH OF PICKER CHECK ASSEMBLIES DISPOSED ON EITHER SIDE OF THE LAY BEAM AND EACH INCLUDING AN ELONGATE YIELDABLE SURFACE MOUNTED BELOW THE LAY BEAM ADJACENT BUT LATERALLY OF THE OUTER TERMINAL PATHS OF TRAVEL OF EACH PICKER STICK, EACH OF SAID YIELDABLE SURFACES BEING SUPPORTED AT ONE END BY CANTILEVER MEANS AND AT ITS OTHER END BY SPRING MEANS, AND MEANS ON EACH PICKER STICK TO ENGAGE SAID ELONGATE YIELDABLE SURFACE AS IT APPROACHES ITS OUTER MOVEMENT. 